Reflecting Gender Diversity: Deciding Factors in the Programming of Dutch Pop Music Venues
Keywords
Loading...
Authors
Issue Date
0202-07-17
Language
en
Document type
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Title
ISSN
Volume
Issue
Startpage
Endpage
DOI
Abstract
In the past decade, multiple scholars have stressed how gender inequalities have continued permeating the music industry. They argue that despite the efforts of gender policies, women are still marginalized through the paradigm of neoliberalism. This research focuses on how the reflection on gender diversity is a deciding factor in the programming of Dutch pop music venues when the program creators of these venues must take economic interests into account as well. Because program creators function as gatekeepers for female musicians, the discourses that occur in their working processes shape the way in which policies are put into practice. This research contains an evaluation of the contemporary debate on how gender inequalities are tackled in the music industries by analyzing former academic research on this topic and by performing a discourse analysis of three pop music venues in the Netherlands. The interviews with the program creators of Doornroosje, Melkweg, and EKKO serve as case studies to gain insights on the practices of the gatekeepers themselves.
The analysis demonstrates that gender policies in the Netherlands seem to be fitting the neoliberal model because they foster business activities. The governance codes addressed in this thesis seem to be fixated on individual representation rather than addressing the structural problems of the music industry, which finds its core in the hegemony of neoliberalism that contrasts with artistic and social values. This thesis does not criticize the practices of program creators themselves, or the intentions of their organizations, but it signalizes that gender policies are shaped by structural problems that circulate in the music industry. The intended outcomes of gender policies therefore might remain unsustainable in the long term.
However, most respondents seemed to be very aware of the difficulties that circulate in the gender in music debate, which they aim to tackle by keeping the conversation going with their colleagues in their own organization and within the Dutch music industry as a whole. It might be unrealistic for program creators themselves to create a structural change in the affects that neoliberalism has on gender policies in music, but every effort that is undertaken to support female artists can foster future practices to create a more gender equal music industry.
Description
Citation
Supervisor
Faculty
Faculteit der Letteren